“We’ll be through as soon as you are,” the match-girl said decidedly; and, satisfied that there would be no delay, Tom and Bob hurried away.
“Now take just as much time as you want to see everything,” Sadie said when the boys had left them. “They rush right through without lookin’ at half the things.”
“Why can’t they come here after the show is over?”
“’Cause when you go down them stairs, there’s no chance to get back. You see, if it wasn’t so, folks could stay in here the whole day without payin’ but once.”
Satisfied that he would not be interrupted, Josiah enjoyed himself thoroughly, looking at the many odd things; but he took good care not to go very near the platform on which was seated the fat lady, lest she might have some more remarks to make about a boy who could not guess nearer a lady’s weight than to suppose she was less of a curiosity than Madame Fragile.
He gave no heed to the flight of time; and when Sadie suggested that their friends might be waiting, he felt quite certain no more than half an hour had elapsed since Tom and Bob left them.
“I know it’s been longer,” the match-girl replied, “’cause the doors are open for another show, an’ that wouldn’t be done if the first one hadn’t been finished.”
“I guess it’s the same crowd that was goin’ in a while ago,” Josiah replied carelessly; and just then it was possible to hear, above the noise of the street, a series of yells which apparently came from the foot of the staircase by which they had entered this portion of the building.
“That’s them, an’ they’ll be awful mad if we don’t go right down,” Sadie whispered as she pulled her companion toward the door.
“Josiah! Josiah-ah-ah-ah!”